The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 1

THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN The State Newspaper Since 2907 50 40 PAGES TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1994 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK White House crash scene Clintons Tinker Officers Reject Blame In Downings -1 were 4 js! staying at Sscm ID His: nnsy ru5ggnte mmnmtwmW Constiwionl. flincoln "Tr rndependenceAve. Memorial CVJ Washington 'Nq Monument 2 i 4 A 14 km V-iV' Plane hits lawrabout va. White House Plane Crash Raises Concern WASHINGTON (AP) In a bizarre and menacing breach of security, a despondent truck driver crashed a stolen plane on the White House lawn Monday where it cartwheeled against the mansion two floors below President Clinton's private quarters. The pilot, killed in the twisted wreckage, was Frank Corder, 38.

He was said to have a history of mental illness and alcohol abuse, and relatives described him as depressed over the breakup of his marriage and the death of his father. Clinton and his family were not in the White House when the small, single-engine plane hit at 1:49 a.m. They were staying in a government guest house across the street because of renovation work at the White House. They returned to their White House residence Monday. No shots were fired as Corder flew near the Washington Monument and then banked the plane toward the South face of the White House.

Security agents spotted it only at the last second, with just "enough time to run for cover," Secret Service spokesman Carl Meyer said. "I don't think there was all that much time, to be quite honest with you." The Washington Post reported in Tuesday's editions that radar at National Airport had detected the plane minutes before the crash, according to federal investigators who were trying to determine why Secret Service officers guarding the White House weren't warned. See CRASH, Page 2 The four Tinker-based officers charged with dereliction of duty next face an Article 32 hearing, similar to a preliminary hearing in civilian courts. The location and date of the hearing have not been set. The officers and their attorneys will be allowed to present evidence and question witnesses.

A hearing officer then will make a recommendation about the charges to Lt. Gen. Stephen B. Cro-ker, commander of the 8th Air Force, who will make a final decision. The hearing officer could recommend that some or all of the charges be dismissed, continued through a court martial proceeding or handled administratively.

By John Parker Staff Writer Copyright 1994, The Oklahoman Four Tinker Air Force Base officers accused of dereliction of duty in the downing of two U.S. helicopters over Iraq said they are innocent of the charges on Monday. One officer said he was disappointed and outraged to be charged with criminal counts. Capt. Rita Teague, an Air Force attorney based at Randolph Air Force Base near San Antonio, issued four written statements to The Oklahoman from the Tinker officers.

The AWACS crew members face at least four counts of dereliction of duty in the April 14 incident over northern Iraq that killed 26 people. Capt. Jim Wang, senior director of the mission crew, drew five counts. "I am deeply disappointed and outraged that I have been accused of criminal offenses," Maj. Lawrence M.

Tracey said. "I feel great sadness for the families of the persons killed in this tragic accident, however, I did nothing wrong." "The friendly fire incident of 14 April was a terrible tragedy," Lt. Joseph Halcli said. "Howev- Relatives Say Pilot Had Troubled Past down two Black Hawk helicopters ferrying an international group working with Iraqi Kurds. Twenty-six counts of negligent homicide and two charges of dereliction of duty have been brought against F-15 pilot Lt.

Col. Randy W. May of the 53rd Fighter Squadron, based in Germany. Maj. Douglas L.

Martin, of the Air Combat Command Air Operations Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, also faces three counts of dereliction of duty. He was a member of the command element of the AWACS aircraft, officials said. "I feel great sadness for See OFFICERS, Page 2 er, I acted during the course of that mission within the training and guidance I had received in the United States Air Force." Teague, the Air Force attorney representing Halcli, said the officers wanted to issue the statements, but their individual attorneys advised them to keep them brief. "We do have a story to tell and we fully intend to tell it, but we don't think this is the time to tell it," Teague said. The four were flight members of an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft monitoring the no-fly zone over Iraq.

Two F-15 fighters mistakenly shot Secret Service Finds No Political Motive From Wire Services WASHINGTON It was a little past midnight. Frank Corder knew the aircraft he wanted. He walked down the line of 15 planes parked on the grass at a tiny, unguarded airfield north of Baltimore and climbed into a two-seat, single-engine Cessna with 1405Q printed on its tail the plane he learned to fly in. Less than an hour later, he would guide the little plane low over downtown Washington, bank left at the Washington Monument and smash it into a magnificent magnolia tree that Andrew Jackson is said to have planted on the South Lawn of the White House about 160 years ago. The Cessna would wind up in a crumpled heap against a White House wall, its wheels in the air, its tail broken away, jagged pieces of metal and wire strewn around the lawn.

See PILOT, Page 2 Boy, Convict Sought After School Abduction AP Photo The wreckage of the small plane that crashed on the South Lawn of the White House lies next to the presidential residence Monday. City Superintendent to Retire Franklin Delano Floyd Michael Anthony Hughes Mason to Step Down Next Summer By Lisa Beckloff Staff Writer CHOCTAW A convicted felon is suspected of abducting at gunpoint a 6-year-old boy and the boy's elementary school principal. The suspect and the boy still were missing late Monday. Franklin Delano Floyd, a resident of an Oklahoma City halfway house, was identified by school Principal James Davis as the man who kidnapped 6-year-old Michael Anthony Hughes from Indian Meridian Elementary School about 9 a.m. Monday, Choctaw Police Chief John Whetsel said.

"He showed the principal his weapon and indicated that he would use it," Whetsel said. "The principal did the right thing. There were lots of children that could have been injured." Davis told police Floyd later handcuffed him to a tree about IV, miles from the school, where the principal was found several hours later. "The motive is that he (Floyd) claims this boy to be his son," Whetsel said. "There is nothing we have been able to determine why he is doing this now." Floyd was the common-law husband of the boy's mother, who died in a 1990 car accident.

But Whetsel said police learned that medical tests have shown that Floyd is not Hughes' biological father. The boy has been living with foster parents in Choctaw for about three years. Davis told officers Floyd, 51, entered the elementary school about 9 a.m. Monday and showed him the gun, Whetsel said. Floyd said he was there to pick up the bov, and if Davis co-operated, no one See ABDUCTION, Page 2 projects and the school board members and I decided 1 should stay a little longer." Mason, appointed in April 1993, was the first black and first woman to head the state's second largest school district.

At the time of her appointment, Mason and the board made it clear that she would serve only a limited tenure. "I don't really know what happened; but I looked up and I had been here too long." Mason said she has been asked by See MASON. Pago 2 By Jack Money Staff Writer Superintendent Betty Mason said Monday she will step down as leader of Oklahoma City schools on June 30, 1995. Mason made the announcement at this week's school board meeting. The superintendent said it is time for her to retire.

"You have to remember that when 1 first took this job, I was supposed to retire in seven months," she said. "But we began getting involved in different Betty Mason Good Morning Firm Cited In Dumping Of Sewage By Anthony Thornton Staff Writer EUFAULA An Oklahoma City company under state contract to upgrade the sewage lagoon at Fountainhead State Park pumped up to 180,000 gallons of sewage into Lake Eufaula, state investigators allege. A company official faces a November hearing in federal court to explain his employees' actions. At least two state agen-lies also are considering action against Creative Landscapes Inc. and its job superintendent, Steve Dodson, Dodson said rainwater, lot raw sewage, was aumped from the lagoon, nfe contends that any discharge into the lake was nadvortent, caused by a nalfunctioning pipe.

A state Wildlife Depart-nent pollution investiga-or, however, said, "In ny opinion, there's no mestion; no way was it iccidental." The investigator, Brady vlay, also said ho found ilack sludge 8 inches loop where the pipe trained. Weatherline Call 478-3377 for local reports, forecasts. Partlv cloudv and humid conditions are expec ted in the metropolitan area today, with a high of Page 6 89 and a low of 68. Markets 15, 17-22 Obituaries 6, 28-29 Oil 16 Public Rocords 6 Sports 23-27 TV Log 27 3 Sections Dell vary Service 478-7171 ri Wnnt Ads -HR-MM Other Culls Rutins contents copyright The Oklahoma PiibllsliiiiK Hox Oklahoma Citv, OK 73125, Vol. No.

179. Inside Ann Landors 11 Billy Graham 11 Bridge 36 Business 15-22 Classlflod 28-37 Comics 38 Crossword 36 Cryptoquote 36 Dear Abby 11 Editorial 8 Entertainment 13 Health 10-11 Horoscope 11 Livestock 16 Sunken Car Was Stolen, Police Say By Steve Lackmeyer Staff Writer Human bones found inside rusted 1982 Chevrolet Caprice found Sunday in Lake Overholser may be the remains of a teen who took a drive in a stolen car, police said Monday. The car and partial human renin ins wore discovered under water about a.m. Sunday near the 9200 block of Overholser Drive on the south side of the lake. Investigators first estimated the car crashed into the lako two years ago, based on a license tag sticker dated 1992.

"Wo now believe wo know who was in the car, but wo have to wait for the medical examiner bolbro releasing the name," Sgt. Kill Martin said. Police first thought the victim was the oar's registered owner, but they have since determined the body was that of a tectvag-or. "Wo lioliovo it (the car) was stolon," Mar-Sec CAU. Pago 2 A Prayer for Today LMT us thank you, Lord, for watching over our world leaders and helping to uuide them on pathways toward peace tor all nations.

In your name we pray. Amen. "It's obvious what was -aprm. Memorial Service A Mcintosh County joannG Shortley, left, of Pittsburgh comforts her daughter Lisa and son Daniel at a same wardon discovered memorial service for victims of USAIr Flight 427 on Monday In Pittsburgh. Steven ho dischartso Labor Day Shortley, the family's husband and father, was among the 132 people killed Thursday Sco SEWAGE, Pago 2 wnen tne jef crashed near Pittsburgh.

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